New housing development to be named after business owner

A new cul-de-sac in Shrewsbury is set to be named after the family which previously ran a business on the site.

Holyoake Close has been put forward as a suggested name for the new development of eight homes on the former E J Holyoake premises at 67A Ditherington Road.

The suggestion, which has been backed by Shrewsbury Town Council, was made to Shropshire Council’s street naming team by a grandchild of Ernest Holyoake, who started the coach building business in the 1950s, and his wife Edith.

The statement submitted to Shropshire Council said: “After WWII a local railway signalman (my great-grandad) Frank Holyoake and his wife May built the shop at 65 Ditherington Road for my returning great uncles Dennis and Leslie to work as greengrocers.

“My grandad Ernest started the coach building business just behind in a small workshop.

“From the 50s onwards the coach building business grew quickly and Grandad slowly purchased the bakers’ buildings and other various workshops.

“When Dennis decided to emigrate to Australia, Ernest also purchased the shop at the front of the site and the tailor’s house which he and my grandmother lived in until their deaths.”

Shropshire Council confirmed in a letter to the town council that: “The proposed suggestion is regarded to be suitable within the terms of the Street Naming and Numbering Policy.”

The policy says: “In general, new streets should be named after people, places or events associated with the local area.”

The suggestion of Holyoake Close was unanimously supported by the town council and no other proposals have been put forward for consideration.

Councillor Kate Halliday said: “It’s very difficult to argue against that – I think that’s a very nice suggestion with a really good local connection.”